New proposals aimed at making rural school closures fairer have been unveiled by the Scottish Government.

New proposals aimed at making rural school closures fairer have been unveiled by the Scottish Government.

Fiona Hyslop, Education Secretary, launched a consultation on legislative changes which, if adopted, would amount to a presumption against closure until all alternatives have been explored.

The move yesterday follows a commitment in the SNP's manifesto to protect remote schools after a swathe of closures.

Campaigners argued the quality of education and the importance of schools to the life of remote communities were being ignored in local authority consultation exercises.

There are some 1000 schools in rural communities across Scotland, with 41% of all primaries and 23% of secondary schools falling into this category. Yesterday, during a visit to Sorn Primary School in East Ayrshire, which has been threatened with closure, Ms Hyslop stressed the vital role they play.

"Local schools are an important part of ensuring vibrant local communities across rural Scotland," she said. "This government wants to make the process for handling all school closures fairer, more robust and more transparent, and we want to see better consultation before any decision is taken."

The government proposals would mean if a local authority is considering shutting a school it would have to publish a consultation paper, including a statement outlining the educational benefits of such a move.

Councils would have to consult on any closure plans for at least six weeks during term-time, and would also have to seek the views of HM Inspectorate of Education.

The proposals would further require them to hold a public meeting, and to publish the results of the consultation and their response. Many of the changes proposed are already used by some councils, but ministers believe they should be legal requirements.

The government will now consult on the measures, with the intention of legislation being introduced "at the earliest opportunity".

Sandy Longmuir, of the Rural Schools Network, said: "A few years ago there were genuine concerns from parents that local authorities were simply not listening to them. Hopefully, these plans will change that forever."

However, Cosla, which represents local authorities, warned that tough decisions to close schools will still have to be made. "Some schools will not be suitable for 21st century education and will need to be replaced. To prevent such changes could be detrimental to the education of future generations," a spokeswoman said.